DDT: The degradation of ring-labeled14C-DDT to14CO2 in the rat

Summary Ring fission ofp, p-DDT was studied in the rat following a single oral dose of 0.74 mg/kg (1.04 Ci) of uniformly ring-labeled¹⁴C-DDT. Expired air was passed through a solution of ethanolamine-ethylene glycol monomethyl ether (12) to trap¹⁴CO₂. A total of 1.6% of the radioactivity administered was recovered in the expired air collected continually for 10 days, indicating that while degradation of the phenyl moiety is not a major route pfp, p-DDT metabolism in the rat, it is equal to the urinary excretion. Nevertheless, these results represent the most radical change accomplished in vivo of a residual insecticide yet reported in mammals.Acknowledgment. We acknowledge the secretarial work of Ms.Elaine Smolko. This study was supported by NIH fellowship No. 1 F22 ES01723-01 and No. HL16264.